Flemish Liberals and Democrats

Flemish Liberals and Democrats (VLD), officially known as Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten (Open VLD), is a Belgian liberal and conservative-liberal political party. The party was founded by former members of the Party for Freedom and Progress, and it led the government from 1999 to 2008. From 2004 to 2009, the VLD formed a coalition government with the Christian Democratic and Flemish party in the Flanders Parliament.

The VLD was founded as a conservative-liberal party, supporting economic liberalism and Thatcherism, but it gave up its free market approach and became more centrist over the years. In November 2006, party chairman Bart Somers called for a revolution in the party, claiming that a liberal party could only be progressive and social. After 2007, the party faced electoral difficulties as the Socialist Party of Belgium gained more control over the economy and the New Flemish Alliance became an important liberal-conservative contender.